Conveyer mechanism



Jan. 24, 1933. MORGAN 1,895,046

CONVEYER MECHANISM Filed Dec. 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Snuentor m 7719125 morcqan Jan. 24, 1933. M, MORGAN 1,895,046

1 I CONVEYER MECHANISM I Filed Dec. 15, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 flmyento v myles mmgan Pdiovneu Patented Jan. 24, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MYLES MORGAN, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO MORGAN CONSTRUC- TION COMPANY, OF WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASH- CHUSETTS CON VEYER MECHANISM Application filed December 15, 1930. Serial Not 502,447.

This invention relates to conveyer mechanism. Its object is to secure the orderly transfer to a single conveyer or carrler, at a number of points along the latters length, of the articles to be conveyed.

In a wire or rod mill for example, the

coils or bundles of wire produced on a plurality of reeling devices may be handled by a single conveyer, common to all of the reeling devices. Such a conveyer may be in the form of a series of travelling suspension hooks, and in this instance the coils can be deposited in the path of the hooks by a suitable conveyer, receivin the coils from a reel, and transporting t em flatwise to the hook carrier.

lVhere the travelling hook carrier receives coils from only a single flatwise conveyer, it has been possible to effect the transfer of the coils substantially in the absence of manual intervention, by causing the flatwise conveyer to deliver each coil into the pathtaken by all the hooks of the hook carrier. But

' Where there are a plurality of flat conveyers,

all feeding coils to a single hook carrier, at diiierent points along the path taken by the hooks of said carrier, it has heretofore been necessary to have the transfers controlled manually, by one or more operators, since each coil must be held back on its flatwise conveyer, pendingl the approach of a hook on the carrier that as not already received a coil from one of the other preceding fiat conveyers.

By this invention, the necessity for such manual control, in the case where a single common conveyer or carrier is fed with coils or the like at a plurality of points along its length, is entirely eliminated, by automatically withholding each coil from the path of the projections or hooks of such conveyer or carrier, except as an empty PIOJGCtiOIl or hook may approach the transfer point of said coil, in which case said coil is projected into said path, in properly timed relation to the arrival of said empty projection or hook. The automatic control, according to the invention, of the transfer devices may be efi'ected by the arrangement of mechanism hereinafter described in detail and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a developed plan view of said mechanism, including parts of a wiring diagram.

Fig. 2 is a view in sectional elevation of the hook carrier, and including other parts of said wiring diagram.

.Fig. 3 is a sectional view, on line 3-3.of Fig. 1, of one of the flatwise conveyers, and showing its relation to the hook carrier and to the transfer mechanism.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, on line 4-4 of Fig. 1, showing a conveyer in a difierent position from that shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view showing structural details of the bundle transfer fingers.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures.

Fig. 1 of the drawings illustrates the delivery ends of a plurality of conveyers, #1, #2 and #3, each adapted for the flatwise transportation of annular bodies, such as wire coils or bundles a a and as, as formed on suitable reeling devices, not shown, situated adjacent the receiving end of each such conveyer. All of said flatwise conveyers, of which any number desired may be provided, have their delivery ends in suitably spaced relation along the length of a single receiving trough or platform 4, which is longitudinally grooved, as shown at 5, for the continuous movement of a succession of suspension hooks 6, 6, Fig. 2, which are carried along on the under side of an endless conveyer belt or chain; the latter, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is mounted on roller supports 7 in superposed relation to the platform 4 and serves for the transportation, to any desired point, of the annular bodies picked up by the hooks 6. The suspension of a body from a hook is obtained by moving it off the end of platform 4, as shown in Fig. 2.

The approach of the annular bodies toward the receiving platform 4, along each of the flatwise conveyers, is eifected, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, by suitably spaced projections or dogs 8, 8 on an endless chain or belt 9, the latter running beneath the floor sprocket wheel 12 which, by an suitable means, not shown, is intermitten y rotated,

' one revolution at a time, to move the bodies a into the successive positions shown in Fig. 3. Beyond the sprocket wheel 12, and hence outside the zone of movement of the chain do 8, 8', is an extension 13 of the conveyer su stantially at the level of the receiving platform 4, and of suficient length to accommodate a single annular body a; in the step-bystep operation ofeach flatwise conveyer, a drawing or pulling dog 8 carries an annular body a part way onto extension 13, before passing downwardly around the sprocket 12, and the remainder of the bodys movement onto said extension is effected by thepuslnng action of'the next-following dog 8, against the rear end of said body,it being-understood that the spacin of adjacent dogs 8, 8' on chain 9 is such t at, when an annular body a is impaled on one of said dogs 8, there is insufiicient room left for the nnpalement of another body on the next-following dog 8; in other words, successive bodies a on the conveyerwill have interspersed between them, in non-impaling relation to each, at least one dog 8'.

As shown diagrammatically in Fig. 1, each conveyer extension 13 is equipped with a movable arm 14, normally occupying the full line position shown in conveyer #1, but shifting to a difierent positlon with the armval of an annular body a onsaid extens on, as indicated in connection with conveyers #2 and #3. This movement of an arm 14, in each case, closes a switch 15 in an electrical circuit associated with) thedindividual opp}; ve er 1 2 or 3 an opens a swi 16 in sfifitliefnormflly-closed electrical circuit that controls the drive of the chain 9 of the particular conve er (#1, #2 or #3) whose arm 14 is so shi ted. With the opening of a switch 16, by the arrival of an annular body a on the'extension 13, as shown 1 n conveyers #2 and #3, the drive of the chain 9 for that particular conveyer is discontinued and cannot-be again resumed untll the removal of said annular body (1 permits the arm 14 to be restored to the full line position shown in conveyer #1, for the reestablishment of the chain-driving circuit, by closure of switch 16.

The circuits containing the normally-open switches 15,15 are connected in parallel across the common electrical current supply conductors 17 and 18. Each of said circuits contains in addition to its normally-open switch 15, a normally-open switch 19, overlying the receiving platform 4 of the hook conveyer, and adapted to be moved into circuit closing position by the upward thrust of a passing 00k 6, as shown against a movable arm 20; with the passage of a hook, the switch arm 19 resumes its open position, and remains open until the next hook engages said arm 20. Each of these parallel electrical circuits, except the one associated with conveyer #1, also contains a normally-closed switch 21, adapted for operation by a movable arm 22 disposed in each case on the platform 4, slightly ,in advance of the point of its conveyers delivery onto said platform, inposition to bestruck and shifted by any annular body a that is moved lengthwise of said platform by one of the hooks 6 of the hook conveyer. Thus, when a moving hook'fi en- .counters an arm 20 and thereby closes a switch 19, such closure does-not complete the electrical circuit containing said switch unless the hook in question is proceeding along its path without carrying with it one of the annular bodies a; if a body a is on the hook said electrical circuit is automatically opened at the switch 21 by engagement of said body with the arm 22.

Each of said parallel electrical circuits,

equipped as aforesaid with the switches 15, i

19 and 21, contains a solenoid winding 23, which is energized when, and only when, all of the switches of its associated circuit are closed, including, of course, a hand operated control switch 24, by the opening of which any circuit, when desired, may be rendered wholly inoperative. In the unenergized con-. dition of a solenoid coil 23, an adjacent pivoted member 25 is so maintained, as shown in Fig. 3, as to engage its hooked end or latch 26 beneath the free end of a counterweighted.

lever 27, pivoted at 28. In this position of the parts, a pair of upwardly extending arms 29, 29 of lever 27 are maintained in an inactive position, with yieldable fingers 29', pivoted at their free ends, received in slots 30, 30 of extension 13, as shown in Figs. 1 and 5, said fingers 29' being disposed on opposite sides of a bundle (1. Upon energization of the associated solenoid 23. the latch 26 is rocked to release the lever 27, and the weight of the same is thereupon exerted to carry the transfer arms 29, 29 and their associated fingers 29' forwardly through the slots 30, so as to engage-the annular body a on the extension 13 and push it onto the receiving platform 4 as shown at a in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. A suitthe body a. by e momentum of said lever. The lever 27 has a lateral extension 31 that carries a pin received in an elongated slot 32 of link 33, the letter at its other end bein connected to an eccentric 34 on the shaft 0 the sprocket 12. The elongated slot 32 permits the above described operative swing of the lever 27 and its transfer arms 29 without efiect on said link 33, the pin of extension 31 able dash pot 27', secured to the lever 27,- may be used to prevent undue slamming ofbeing thereby moved from the bottom sub stantially to the top of said slot. Thereupon, on the next rotation of the sprocket wheel 12, the eccentric '34 thrusts the link 33 downwardly, and the engagement of the top of slot 32 with said pin rocks the lever 27 and its transfer arms 29 back to the position shown in Fig. 3, Where the free end of lever 27 is again held against movement by latch 26. Upon delivery of a bundle a to the extension 13, when the arms 29are retracted as shown in Figs. 3 and 5, the fingers 29' tip forwardly, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 5, to permit the bundle to pass over, after which the ngers spring back to their extended positions.

Let it be assumed that the annular bodies a and a have been moved by the conveyers #2 and #3, respectively, into the positions shown in Fig. 1. In both cases, this would open the associated switches 16, 16, thereby putting both conveyers #2 and #3 temporarily out of action and preventing the resumption of conveyer chain movement in each case until the associated solenoid 23 has been v energized to render operative the pushing arms 29, 29. lhe presence of bodies a and a on the extensions 13, 13 of conveyers #2 and #3 closes the associated switches 15, 15, and when a hook 6 travelling through groove 5 toward conveyer #2, in the direction indicated by arrow X, arrives opposite the switch 19 of that conveyer, said switch automatically closes. But the arrangement is such that if said hook is pushing ahead of it the body a, picked up from the discharge point of the previous conveyer #1, the engagement of said body a with arm 22 will open the normallyclosed switch 21 of conveyer #2 before the hook-operated switch 19 of said conveyer is closed; consequently, under these conditions, there will be no energization of the solenoid 23 of conveyer #2,and the same situation will prevail as the hook in question is drawn toward the discharge point of conveyer #3.

UP. the other hand, if a hook 6 approaches conveyer #2 without having previously encountered any annular body a on the platform 4, then said hooks closure of the switch 19 of said conveyer completes the circuit through the solenoid 23, since the switch 15 has already been closed, and the switch 21 is normally closed; thereupon the arms 29, 29 are rendered efiective to push the body a into the path of said hook, for conveyance thereby to any desired point. Thereafter, the chain of conveyer #2 resumes its operation and, in consequence thereof, the arms 29, 29 are returned to normal position immediately by the link 33, so that no obstructon is interposed to the deposit of another body a on the extension 13 of conveyer #2.

.From, conveyer #3 (or from any subsequent conveyer) there can be no discharge of an annular body onto the platform 4 except as a hook that approaches said conveyer has not encountered, previously, any body discharged from the preceding conveyers #1 and #2. Thus according to the invention, the transfer from a plurality of fiat conveyers to a single hook carrier, common to all of said conveyers, is controlled wholly automatically in the absence of manual intervention, so that no travelling hook 6 will encounter more than one body a and so that, invariably, with the approach of a free hook, any body a on any of the flat conveyers that is in readiness for transfer to'the hook carrier will be promptly transferred.

24' is a manually operated pushbutton which, when 24 is closed, may, at the will of the operator, be used to transfer a bundle to the carrier independent of the automatic v devices.

I claim, 1. In conveyer mechanism of the class described, a conveyer providing a succession A of article-engaging members travelling in a common path, for the movement of articles delivered into said path at different points in the length thereof, means responsive to the presence of an article at a delivery point for procuring the transfer of said article to said path, and means for preventing the operation of said transfer means when said delivery point is approached by one of said members 'in engagement with a previouslydelivered article.

2. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a travelling hook carrier and a pluralit of conveyors with their delivery ends at different points along the path taken by the hooks of said carrier, in combination with mechanism operable at the delivery end of each conveyer for transferring to said path, in timed relation to the arrival of a carrier hook, each conveyed article that arrives at said delivery end, and means for preventing the operation of each transfer mechanism ex cept as an empty hook of said carrier approaches the delivery end of the conveyer associated with said transfer mechanism.

3. Apparatus 0f the class described, comprising a travelling hook carrier and a plurality of conveyers with their delivery ends at different points along the path taken b the hooks of said carrier, in combination wit mechanism operable at the delivery end of each conveyer for transferring successivelyarrivz'ng conveyed articles into said path, and means responsive alike to the absence of a conveyed article from the delivery end of a conveyer, and to the approach toward said delivery end of an article-encumbered hook, for maintaining the associated transfer mechanism in inoperative condition.

4. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a travelling hook carrier and a pluralit of conveyers with their delivery ends at different points along the path taken by operative condition.

5. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a travelling hook carrier and a pluralit of conveyers with their delivery ends at different points along the path taken the hooks of said carrier, in combination wit mechanism operable at the delivery end of each conveyer for transferring successivelyarriving conveyed articles into said pat said transfer mechanism being operative only in the presence of a conveyed article at the delivery end of its conveyer when said delivery end is approached by a hook of said carrier and means for preventing operation of said transfer mechanism when said aproaching hook is an article-encumbered 00k.

6. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a travelling hook carrier and a plurality of conveyers arranged to deliver conveyed articles to said carrier at different points along the path taken by the hooks of said carrier, in combination with means for withholding the delivery to said carrier of a conveyed article on an of said conveyers until an empty hook 0 said carrier approaches the delive end of the conveyer on which said conveye article is withheld, and means responsive to the presence on any conveyer of an article so withheld for discontinuing the operation of said conve er.

7. Apparatus of the class descri d, comprising a travelling hook carrier and a plurality of conveyers arranged to deliver conveyed articles to said carrier at different points along the path taken by the hooks of said carrier, in combination with means for withholding the delivery to said carrier of a conveyed article on any of said conveyers until an empty hook of said carrier approaches the delivery end of the conve er on which said conveyed article is wit eld, means responsive to the presence on any conveyer of an article so withheld for discontinuing the operation of said conveyer, and means responsive to the delivery to said carrier of the withheld article for procuring the resumption of said conveyers operation.

8. Apparatus of the class described,-comprising a travelling hook carrier and a plurality of conveyers with their delivery ends at different points along the path taken by the hooks of said carrier, means for retaining a conveyed article at the delivery end of its conveyer pending approach toward the latter of an empty hook of said carrier, means responsive to such retention for discontinuing the operation of said conveyer, and a movable member between each conveyer and the carrier for procuring delivery to the carrier of a conveyed article so retained when the latter is approached by an empty book of said carrier.

9. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a travelling hook carrier and a,pluralit of conveyers with their delivery ends at different points along the path taken by the hooks of said carrier, mechanism associated with each conveyer to transfer into said path an article arriving at the delivery end of said conveyer, means for preventing operation of a transfer mechanism when the delivery end of its conveyer is approached a by an article-laden hook of said carrier, and

for procuring the operation of said transfer mechanism on the approach of an empty hook, and means responsive to such prevention for discontinuing the operation of said conveyer, and responsive to such transfer for procuring resumption of the operation of said conveyer.

10. Apparatus of the class described, comprising a travelling hook carrier and a plurality of conve ers with their delivery ends at dlfierent points along the path taken by the hooks of said carrier, means for retaining a conveyed article at the delivery end of its conveyer pending approach toward the latter of an empty hook of said carrier, a movable member for delivering said article to an empty hook, means responsive to such retention for discontinuing the operation of said conveyer, and responsive to such delivery for procuring resumption of the opera, tion of said conveyer, and means responsive to such resumption for returning said movable member to its normal position.

' 11. In apparatus of the class described, a succession of members travelling in a common path, for the engagement and movement of articles delivered into said path, a

lurality of article conveyers with their deivery ends at different points along said path, mechanism associated with each conveyer for transferring into said path, in timed relation to the arrival of one of said members, each article arriving at the delivery end of said conveyer, and means for preventing the operation of said transfer mechanism upon such an article on any conveyer until the delivery end of that conveyer is approached by one of said members travelling in the absence of article engagement and movement.

12. In apparatus of the class described, a

succession of members travelling in a common path, for the engagement and movement of articles delivered into said path, a plurality of conveyers with their delivery ends at different points along said path,

means at the delivery end of each conveyer, said conveyer, and means responsive to said responslve to arrival of a conveyed article resumption for restoring said transfer means at said end, for transferring said article to to its normal posltlon.

said path when one of said members, travelling in the absence of engagement with a previously-transferred article, approaches said delivery end, and means for preventing the operation of said transfer means when the approaching travelling member is an artide-encumbered member.

' 13. In apparatus of the class described, a

14., In apparatus of the class described, a I

succession of members travelling in a com mon path, for the engagement and movement of articles delivered into said path, a plurality of article conveyers with their delivery ends at difierent points along said path, means responsive to the'arrival of a conveyed article at the delivery end of each conveyer for discontinuing the operation of that conveyer until said article is transferred to said path, means for preventing such transfer when said delivery end is approached by one of said members travelling in engagement with a previouslytransferred article from one of the other conveyers, and for procuring such transfer upon the approach of an unencumbered member, and means responsive to such transfer for procuring the resumption of the operation of said'con-veyer. I v

15. In apparatus of the class described, a succession of members travelling in a com= mon path, for the engagement and movement of articles delivered into said path, a pluralit'y of article conveyors with their deliveryends at different points along said path, means responsive to the arrival of a conveyed article at the delivery end of each 'conveyer for discontinuing the operation of that conveyer until said article is transferred to said path, -means for trans- I ferring such an article to said path only when said delivery end is approached by one of said members travelling in the absence of engagement with i a previously-transferred article from one of the other conveyers said being '0 ration of said transferring means 0 ective on said first-mentioned means to procure the resumption of the operation of MYLES MORGAN, 

